The present invention relates generally to devices for inhibiting the theft of relatively small but expensive pieces of portable equipment. More specifically, the invention relates to a lock interface for a specially designed slot having predetermined dimensions. Most specifically, the invention relates to a physical security device including a combination lock for connecting to a security slot with dimensions of about 3 mm by about 7 mm.
Computers and other electronic devices have evolved rapidly from large, expensive machines to relatively small portable devices that are increasingly becoming commonplace. The proliferation of laptop computers and personal data assistants (PDAs); with the concomitant usage increases, has resulted in a tremendous investment of resources (time and money) in these portable devices. Further, the ease by which users are able to transport these portable devices and the increasing computing/processing/storage power incorporated into these portable devices results in a tremendous investment in the portable device itself, and the data and applications stored within the device. The problems relating to theft of these portable devices increases directly as the value (data and replacement costs) of the portable device increases.
A variety of devices have been developed that inhibit the theft of portable devices. An early type of physical security system inhibited the theft of desktop computer systems. These systems include several components, typically including the housing having the CPU, disk drives and various interface elements, a monitor, keyboard, trackball and a printer. One or more cables would be used to localize the components to a relatively immovable object, such as a desk. One difficulty associated with these systems was provision of an effective and efficient mechanism for attaching the cable itself to the components.
Kensington Technology Group (Kensington), a division of ACCO Brands, Inc. and assignee of this application, developed an early physical security system for use with early models of APPLE(copyright) computers. These computers would be designed with a special retaining slot, into which a special bracket would be unremovably inserted and retained. A cable could be attached to this bracket and to a desk, thereby inhibiting theft of the computer. This solution is not an optimum one for portable devices, in which it would be preferable to have a removable solution that did not result in addition of a bracket that extended from a wall of the portable device. Such a solution is further undesirable in that this solution used a specially reinforced slot that was relatively large. The portable devices have relatively thin elastomer walls that often have little available internal space.
Kensington worked with portable electronic device manufactures (e.g., laptop and PDA manufacturers) for incorporation of a Kensington developed standard security slot into a wall of their devices. This standard security slot is generally rectangular, having dimensions of about 3 mmxc3x977 mm. Kensington has applied for, and obtained numerous patents relating to physical security devices that cooperate with this special security slot to inhibit theft of the portable device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,752 for xe2x80x9cComputer Equipment Lockxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,685 for xe2x80x9cComputer Physical Security Devicexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,557 for xe2x80x9cComputer Physical Security Devicexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,561 for xe2x80x9cSecurity Device for a Portable Computerxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,739 for xe2x80x9cSecurity Hole Fastening Devicexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,891 for xe2x80x9cSecurity Hole Fastening Devicexe2x80x9d hereby expressly incorporated by reference for all purposes, teach various preferred embodiments for acceptable physical security systems, devices and methods. Among these preferred embodiments are keyed locking solutions. In some applications, and for some users, it is preferable to provide a keyless locking system that offers advantages similar to the keyed solutions.
The present invention provides a simple yet efficient solution to the prior art problem of inhibiting theft of portable electronic devices. Specifically, the present invention discloses lock interfaces for a specially designed slot having predetermined dimensions and methods of providing a locking interface to a specially designed slot without use of a key separate from the lock interface.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it defines physical security system, including a portable device having a wall defining a security slot; a housing having a top end, a bottom end, and a sidewall therebetween, the bottom end including a slot engagement member provided with a locking member insertable within the security slot and a retaining member disposed between the locking member and the housing for engaging an exterior portion of the wall proximate the security slot when the locking member enters into the security slot to facilitate movement of the engagement member into the retracted position by application of force to the housing and wherein the locking member extends into the security slot, the slot engagement member being moveable, relative to the housing, between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the engagement member is biased towards the extended position and is rotationally fixed relative to the housing and wherein the locking member is moveable, when the engagement member is in the extended position, between an unlocked position and a locked position by movement of the engagement member with the locking member retained within the portable device when in the locked position and with the locking member disengageable from within the portable device when in the unlocked position; a pin, extending from the housing, for cooperating with the security slot when the slot engagement member is in the retracted position and the locking member is in the locked position, assisting opposition of movement of the locking member to the unlocked position; and a retention mechanism for maintaining the engagement member in the retracted position; and a cable attachment mechanism, coupled to the housing, for securing a cable to the housing wherein the cable is attachable to an object other than to the portable object.
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method for securing a portable object to a localizer object. This method includes the steps of: aligning a locking member of an engagement member extending from a housing with a security slot defined in a wall of the portable object wherein the engagement member has an extended position and a retracted position relative to the housing and the engagement member is biased in the extended position; inserting the locking member into the security slot; misaligning the locking member from the security slot while the locking member is within the portable object; transitioning the engagement member to the retracted position by engaging a portion of the wall proximate to the security slot with a retaining member coupled to the engagement member and moving the housing towards the portion; cooperating a pin with the engagement member and the security slot when the engagement member has been transitioned to the retracted position such that realignment of the locking member with the security slot is inhibited while the engagement member is in the retracted position; and localizing the portable object to the localizer object by coupling a localizer to the localizer object.